Copper Lion Revisited | Paper 24

("You are the best human I know. Thanks for making me want to be the best human I can be.")

Certainly that must be worth much.
Acrylic and mixed media on wood, 9"x5 1/2".

Shameful to think that if my wallet had gone missing, so may have this little piece of paper. So I made it part of this piece. Shameful to know that it's doubtful I can use it as my resume.

Copper Lion

Acrylic, metallics, ink, plastics on wood. 9" x 5 1/2"

Personified: to live as though we expect the lion to live, unaffected by much, could be a great gift. 

Star-Spangled Spectacular (+More Mural Photos)

The Star-Spangled 200 was Baltimore's big to-do this year.  This month commemorated the completion of Francis Scott Key's "Defense of Fort M'Henry" which evolved into our national anthem. The Maryland War of 1812 Bicentennial Commission provided the funding, and was the reason behind the sidewalk mural I was painting last summer.

In a press release from the Visionary Museum, the mural is said to be a

"lively, complimentary and decidedly pro-peace take on Baltimore’s and America’s extraordinary true history."

We finished well into the cold season, but the snow and ice were generally good to the work. Here are the new and final additions not shown in previous posts.

The southern end of the mural features Chief Tecumseh from an anamorphic 3-D perspective, the far north side (museum entrance to Covington St.) are the written lines of his beautiful famous speech. 

Portraits of notable Baltimore natives were also painted near the main entrance of the museum. 

Tall Ships and Blue Angels (Featured ship: El Galeon Andalucia).

September 14, 2014 Canton Waterfront Park; Baltimore provided the people with Maryland's largest fireworks display to date.

(“So live your life that the fear of death can never enter your heart. Trouble no one about their religion; respect others in their view, and demand that they respect yours. Love your life, perfect your life, beautify all things in your life. Seek to make your life long and its purpose in the service of your people. Prepare a noble death song for the day when you go over the great divide.

Always give a word or a sign of salute when meeting or passing a friend, even a stranger, when in a lonely place. Show respect to all people and grovel to none.When you arise in the morning give thanks for the food and for the joy of living. If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies only in yourself. Abuse no one and no thing, for abuse turns the wise ones to fools and robs the spirit of its vision.When it comes your time to die, be not like those whose hearts are filled with the fear of death, so that when their time comes they weep and pray for a little more time to live their lives over again in a different way. Sing your death song and die like a hero going home."-Chief Tecumseh)

New Pieces

I have a tiny show hanging at The Metropolitan, 169 West St. in Annapolis, until the end of February alongside of Laura Gallagher. All pieces below are new! 

Falling Apart Looks Really Good

20"x24"

Acrylic on canvas

The Real Kind

18"x14"

Acrylic on canvas

All of It

30"x42"

Acrylic on wood

details

 

Swatch tags

Stephanie & Laura

Why Not..

24"x30" acrylic on OSB

From here to there. Highway inspiration. Of course there are dozens of explanations, but it may have been stolen (the irony) because it's not there now.

Found: North American Slides

Another tiny, red-toned drawing;

5"x7" ink, acrylic, pastel on paper. 

Based on slide below:

Whose slides?

In 2010 I used to go to the American Corner/Federalsburg, MD auctions. This is deep into Maryland's Eastern Shore.  One night I took three slide packs from a completely discarded table where everything was free, after the winning bidder took only what they were gunning for. They are labeled Alaska 1965, Plane trip to Slippery Rock, Some beautiful mountain landscapes, Cabin Caliadonia [meaning Caledonia?] *Special one, Mary & Walter, and Beach scenes. They are all very gorgeous slide photos. This particular one is a runway in Canada, of which there were several. Out of 90 slides, there is only one with people, (two people standing on a beach). There has to be some universal old photo lost and found. The ones I saw online seem junky. So if you read this and take interest, pass it along. 

Key info: slides, Alaska, Maryland, A. Curtis Andrew Auction, 1965, Canada, Caledonia, Walter & Mary.

Black Walnut, Classics, and Cold

Happy New Year. This is a photo from 1948 of my grandmother giving my grandfather (not married until 1950) Japanese silk pajamas. My mom stated that it was probably a smoking suit. Dreamy AND fun. In the vein of curious gifts, my parents gave my brother tap shoes for Christmas this year. 

Black walnut tree cross sections from the Anderson Farm in Ohio, made into lovely hangables:

Proof that the new-old 1977 F150 still looks so beautiful even in the snow.

Eventually I hung a white artificial tree from the ceiling by guitar rack, (not realizing the ceiling-tree's sudden popularity) but because it's so logical with annoying pets. This wood ornament was a gift from Collodi, Italy, the town where Pinocchio was from! 

Ground Mural at the AVAM

The American Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore is in the middle of an extended summer to fall ground mural, mostly commemorating the War of 1812 and the writing of the Star Spangled Banner, but told through little known war stories, historical oddities, and cheeky anecdotes. I've been painting since May alongside several others, including mural designer, DC sculptor Lee Wheeler. 

A picture of me starting the USN tattoo segment while my friend Kristin tackles the pub. It's fantastic to work with [fantastic] people and painters.

Originally 500+ feet, this was to wrap around Key Highway and has recently been abbreviated to just the main side of the Museum. The entire piece is "temporary", so see it while you can; projected to last through fall 2014.

Conveniently under the "o say can you see" neons, and some stellar sunflowers.

Little known (and questionably true) war fact: something involving England sending a wheel of impertinent cheese to The White House.

Sometimes you get stuck doing what you start;  a few solo afternoons spent with this bomb laden water, and Uncle Sam above.

UNLOADING- Old painting surplus for sale!

I have a fair amount of older work in need of new homes. I can't keep them on walls, in halls, or in garages any longer. Some are large, some are not. Some are scholastic looking, some are not. Size and description under each one, all pricing negotiable. I would love to part with them! Contact me, sclairebaker@gmail.com, or pass this link on! Thanks a million.

40"x35" Oil on canvas

35"x30" Oil on canvas. Currently rolled, not on wood stretcher. Can be re-stretched, priced for either.

28"X36" Oil on canvas. Still life from cut vegetables and railroad pieces.

25"x25" Oil on canvas, mixed media (ink.. acrylic.. maybe wax?)

30"x24" Acrylic on canvas, mixed media (textures like coffee beans and string).

18"24" Oil on canvas. Copy of Cézanne's La mer à l'Estaque.

18"x24" Ink on Paper. Framed and currently hanging, but may as well be for sale if someone is interested!

72"x48" Oil on canvas. Larger than life size; it's sister piece has a home in SC. Also I should probably note that this is a reference to the Hooper Straight lighthouse in St. Michaels, MD (see below). This previous post may also be helpful.

And finally

80"x35" Oil on wood. This is actually on a standard size interior door. You can use it in your house! Back is done in black and white graniteware pattern.